In the August issue of Health Affairs, UPenn PRC Researchers David Grande, MD, MPA, and Daniel Polsky, Ph.D, investigate racial disparities in spatial accessibility of primary care among different neighborhoods in the city of Philadelphia. Noting that “areas of the city with high percentages of African Americans or Hispanics were likely to also be areas with poor primary care spatial accessibility” and that ” people who live in those areas might be forced to travel farther or wait longer, which creates additional barriers to primary care,” Grande and Polsky show similarities between their research and research on food deserts – neighborhoods which have limited access to healthy food. This study furthers research on neighborhood health risk and how the built environment impacts the health status of different urban populations.

Q & A Spotlight

Until recently, annual PSA testing for men beginning at age 50 was a standard recommendation. As more is learned that potential harms may outweigh benefits, many doctors & organizations caution against routine screening. In 2012, the US Preventive Services Task Force recommended against routine PSAs. Some feel the new recommendation may lower risk of false alarms and potential complications in unnecessary treatment. Others fear the new recommendation may lead to higher mortality rates if tumors go undetected and prostate cancer undiagnosed until too late.

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